Early-Phase Offshore Hydrocarbon Field Planning Considering Environmental Factors and Using Integrated Asset Modeling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seok Ki Moon ◽  
Milan Stanko

Abstract This work discusses methods to quantify environmental indicators of development alternatives during the early design phase of offshore fields and how to include them in the selection process. The goal is to develop a decision-support method to: 1) evaluate field development alternatives of reduced environmental impact and 2) dealing with conflicting indicators such as economic value and environmental performance. A value chain model of a synthetic field located in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) was created using an integrated asset modeling tool. The model computes the net present value (NPV) of the project and the amount of CO2 emissions based on the hydrocarbon production profile and the field energy consumption. Several cases and field development power supply alternatives such as open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT), combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT), power from shore and offshore wind farms are analyzed. It has been assumed that the gas turbine generates most of the CO2 and that the amounts of CO2 produced is a function of the field power consumption. The effect of the CO2 tax is included and studied. Results show that there are development alternatives that provide fair economic value while having low CO2 emissions. For the cases studied, the solutions with gas turbines have higher economic value than the solutions with power from shore and offshore wind farms, but emit large amounts of CO2. For solutions using gas turbine, a combined-cycle has less CO2 emission intensity (kgCO2/boe) than open-cycle, however, the energy intensity (kWh/boe) depended mainly on the amount of gas recycled and is highest for 75%. These indicators could allow field planners to evaluate and compare different field development concepts. Breakeven values of CO2 tax were determined for which the economic value of development with the gas turbine is equal to that of development with power from shore or offshore wind farms.

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 155-171
Author(s):  
Mariel Alem ◽  
Timo Herberz ◽  
Vishnu Sankar Karanayil ◽  
Ahmed Ashfaque Hamid Fardin

Climate change and an increased interest in renewable energy have resulted in a burgeoning wind energy sector. However, in the recent past, wind farms have faced resistance in acquiring permits due to concerns about their long-term effects on the local community. To understand the extent of these externalities, this study qualitatively meta-analyses four socio-economic impacts of interest, namely: house prices, tourism, catalytic effects of supply chain clustering, and social change. Geographically, the analysed reports include Europe, Canada and the US, and deductions are made for the EU. In order to bridge the gap of unavailability of primary data on the wind sector, relevant conclusions are drawn from other comparable sectors. Based on a rigorous review of primary qualitative research, this study concludes that offshore wind farms should be located more than 40 km away from the coast to eliminate risks of housing price devaluation and tourist activity reduction, which would directly affect the economic value of the region. In addition, the study found limited evidence to acknowledge the employment benefits in the local economy and social change in the community due to offshore wind farms. Monitoring mechanisms should be set up to prove or disprove the creation of local employment, crime and substance abuse. Furthermore, the study finds that adequate planning and management can ensure better socioeconomic outcomes in the community. Further research is recommended for the specific impact of overhead transmission lines and substations on property values and tourism.


2018 ◽  
Vol 596 ◽  
pp. 213-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Brandt ◽  
AC Dragon ◽  
A Diederichs ◽  
MA Bellmann ◽  
V Wahl ◽  
...  

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (07) ◽  
pp. 809-813
Author(s):  
M. Martínez ◽  
A. Pulido ◽  
J. Romero ◽  
N. Angulo ◽  
F. Díaz ◽  
...  

Hydrobiologia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ninon Mavraki ◽  
Steven Degraer ◽  
Jan Vanaverbeke

AbstractOffshore wind farms (OWFs) act as artificial reefs, attracting high abundances of fish, which could potentially increase their local production. This study investigates the feeding ecology of fish species that abundantly occur at artificial habitats, such as OWFs, by examining the short- and the long-term dietary composition of five species: the benthopelagic Gadus morhua and Trisopterus luscus, the pelagic Scomber scombrus and Trachurus trachurus, and the benthic Myoxocephalus scorpioides. We conducted combined stomach content and stable isotope analyses to examine the short- and the time-integrated dietary composition, respectively. Our results indicated that benthopelagic and benthic species utilize artificial reefs, such as OWFs, as feeding grounds for a prolonged period, since both analyses indicated that they exploit fouling organisms occurring exclusively on artificial hard substrates. Trachurus trachurus only occasionally uses artificial reefs as oases of highly abundant resources. Scomber scombrus does not feed on fouling fauna and therefore its augmented presence in OWFs is probably related to reasons other than the enhanced food availability. The long-termed feeding preferences of benthic and benthopelagic species contribute to the hypothesis that the artificial reefs of OWFs could potentially increase the fish production in the area. However, this was not supported for the pelagic species.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Maria Bell ◽  
Marcus von der Au ◽  
Julia Regnery ◽  
Matthias Schmid ◽  
Björn Meermann ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cathodic protection by sacrificial anodes composed of aluminum-zinc-indium alloys is often applied to protect offshore support structures of wind turbines from corrosion. Given the considerable growth of renewable energies and thus offshore wind farms in Germany over the last decade, increasing levels of aluminum, indium and zinc are released to the marine environment. Although these metals are ecotoxicologically well-studied, data regarding their impact on marine organisms, especially sediment-dwelling species, as well as possible ecotoxicological effects of galvanic anodes are scarce. To investigate possible ecotoxicological effects to the marine environment, the diatom Phaedactylum tricornutum, the bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri and the amphipod Corophium volutator were exposed to dissolved galvanic anodes and solutions of aluminum and zinc, respectively, in standardized laboratory tests using natural seawater. In addition to acute toxicological effects, the uptake of these elements by C. volutator was investigated. Results The investigated anode material caused no acute toxicity to the tested bacteria and only weak but significant effects on algal growth. In case of the amphipods, the single elements Al and Zn showed significant effects only at the highest tested concentrations. Moreover, an accumulation of Al and In was observed in the crustacea species. Conclusions Overall, the findings of this study indicated no direct environmental impact on the tested marine organisms by the use of galvanic anodes for cathodic protection. However, the accumulation of metals in, e.g., crustaceans might enhance their trophic transfer within the marine food web.


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